


a little sweet, a little spicy

by Engineer104



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: A tiny bit, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mentioned threat of stalking, Mutual Pining, Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:54:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24561940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Engineer104/pseuds/Engineer104
Summary: “That was…rude of him,” she said almost hollowly, though when she lowered her hands she scowled. “How—how dare he.” Her hands tightened into fists at her sides, and he didn’t doubt she imagined blasting her coarse would-be suitor off a fourth-story balcony or into the harbor in winter.“Well, I did worse for him than he did for me,” Felix said, and this time he couldn’t help the smirk curling his lips.“My hero,” Annette said in a tone far too sarcastic for his liking, yet it didn’t fail to make his ears warm.*//Felix visits Annette in the evening. He is not forthcoming about his ulterior motives even when she heals the evidence on his face.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 22
Kudos: 126





	a little sweet, a little spicy

**Author's Note:**

> I was in a mood for jealous and/or slightly scuffed up Felix, apparently. Anyway this fic is like twice as long as it probably needs to be.
> 
> Warnings for mentions of a threat of stalking (no one gets stalked for real though).
> 
> Please enjoy the fluff! and the tiny bit of spice :3

“Felix, what _happened_ to you?”

Felix winced, not because Annette spoke too loudly but because…he couldn’t even begin to explain his bruises, not in a way that she would appreciate. Still, he regretted showing up like this at her room, if only because now she would worry about him (while scolding him for getting injured, as if the other guy didn’t look _much_ worse, not that he deserved her sympathy or attention).

But he had to reassure himself that she was safe.

“I’m fine,” he told her. His heart beat in his eye, which would undoubtedly swell shut by morning, and it hurt just to twitch his jaw.

Annette leaned against her door frame and sighed. “Don’t tell me you got into a fight,” she muttered. “Or was this a nastier sparring match than usual?”

Felix shuffled his feet and lowered his gaze. “It was a…fight,” he admitted.

“Why were you _fighting_ someone?” she demanded. Her fingers reached for his chin, and he let her, though he held his breath to avoid breathing in too much of her. “It wasn’t just because you were bored, was it?”

He scoffed, but her gentle touch on his face proved too distracting for him to think up a reasonable response.

“Well, since you’re here,” Annette said in a low, thoughtful voice, “there’s no sense in sending you away without healing you.”

He finally found it in himself to tug his face away. “You don’t have to waste your energy on these,” he said. “They’ll heal on their own.”

“Sure,” she said with a furrow in her brow, “but you _do_ have to look presentable at meetings tomorrow, I’m sure, and I doubt Dimitri will appreciate you showing up looking like a—a scoundrel who lost a bar brawl.”

His brow wrinkled as he frowned. “It’s Dimitri,” he said. “He won’t care; _he_ _’s_ given me worse. And I didn’t lose.”

Annette buried her face in her hands, and Felix wondered if she muffled a frustrated scream. “Just—that looks painful, so let me heal you!”

Felix sighed but agreed, “Fine.” If only because then she’d stop looking at him like he lost an ear rather than received a black eye, or because he hated the thought of disappointing her worse than he did simply returning to the castle to lick his wounds in peace.

And if the bastard showed his face here while he was gone? He’d never forgive himself for that.

Annette’s hand closed around his wrist as she tugged him inside and shut the door behind him. He let her guide him into a sitting room before she all but shoved him into the armchair. He sank into the cushions before straightening, his posture stiff and heart hammering when she leaned towards him to scrutinize his face.

“Do you want tea?” she asked.

“I thought you were going to heal me,” he said.

“You were so willing to go without it,” she explained with her lip between her teeth, “that I guess it wouldn’t be such a trial to just put the kettle on before I do.” The corner of her mouth quirked. “I have a four-spice blend.”

Felix found himself nodding before she finished speaking. Tea would be good; tea would be a good excuse to stay longer than it took for her to heal him.

He wasn’t sure if he imagined Annette’s hand lingering on his shoulder as she passed him on her way out of the room. He couldn’t help looking after her either, frowning at the long hem of her dressing gown and wondering how often she tripped over it.

She sang while she puttered about in the adjacent kitchen, and from where he sat he caught snatches of lyrics about boiling rather than burning water. He tapped his foot along with the tune and resisted the urge to stand and approach the kitchen to hear her clearer.

She returned before long, humming under her breath and with a slight smile on her face; both made warmth fill his chest, and - though it hurt with his bruised jaw - he found himself returning it.

Annette noticed. “What are you smiling about?” she wondered, suspicion dripping from her tone.

Heat rushed to his cheeks. “Nothing,” Felix lied. He tore his gaze away from her as she approached, but when the warm touch of her fingers found his chin again he was forced to tilt his head back.

“Are you going to tell me who you fought and why?” Annette asked then. The flame of a candle made her eyelashes stretch long, entrancing shadows across her cheeks.

He stiffened but found the wherewithal to confess, “No.”

“Why not?” she said. Her hand fell away from his face to rest on her hip, and Felix resisted the urge to grab it and put it back.

“Because…” he trailed off in lieu of a proper excuse. He scowled at something past her, and he didn’t relax even when her palms emitted the soft white glow of healing magic.

“Were there any witnesses to your fight?” Annette said.

Felix didn’t squirm…but he did shift in place while discomfort prickled under his skin. “Yes…”

“Are you going to tell me who to ask if you won’t explain for yourself?”

His heartbeat in his ears, almost drowning out the sound of her voice as he let loose a long exhale. “Why do you want to know?” he asked instead.

“Because I want to know who to be mad at, obviously,” she said, and when he chanced a glance at her he found her rolling her eyes. “Can you at least tell me who instigated it or if I have to brace myself for a diplomatic incident?”

Felix sighed but admitted, “It depends on who you ask.”

“Oh?” Annette dabbed at the corner of his eye with a handkerchief.

He…ought to tell her, he realized then. She of all people had a right to know, if only so she could prepare herself. Still, a red-hot anger flooded him anew, and he curled his fingers into a fist.

“He was the instigator,” he told her, “but I suspect he would argue that I was.”

“Why’s that?” She perched on the arm of the chair before taking his hand and unfurling his fingers, the healing magic trickling into his cracked knuckles cool and soothing.

Felix stared at his hand in hers, so small his fingers could wrap around it if he just turned his palm over. “I threw the first punch,” he said, “but he spoke the first offense.”

“You’re really good at evading my questions,” Annette observed. “It’s a little annoying.”

His ears burned, but he offered, “Sorry.”

“Well, don’t be _sorry_ ,” she retorted. “Just tell me!” The light from her healing magic faded, leaving a slight tingling in his hand that he suspected was from her touch rather than the magic itself.

“He was, um, he suggested to Dimitri that he would make a good husband to you.”

Annette dropped his hand, and in the silence that ensued Felix swore he’d be able to hear a pin drop from the kitchen. “I-is that all?” she said. “It seems like—seems like punching someone, um, interested in me is a bit of an overreaction, Felix.”

He scowled anew as the confrontation trickled back into the forefront of his memory. He all but growled, “Then he said that he couldn’t be sure you would make a good wife and that perhaps he ought to try you out for himself before making a suit.”

“What?” Annette said, and when he glanced up at her face she blinked at him in confusion. “I’m not sure—oh.” Her face colored a vivid red before she covered it, and her whole posture changed. “Oh, that’s…” She stood, nearly tripping over the hem of her dressing gown - he _knew_ that would happen - before Felix grabbed her elbow to steady her.

She tugged herself from his grasp, and he let her though he wanted to pull her back, if only to reassure her.

“That was…rude of him,” she said almost hollowly, though when she lowered her hands she scowled. “How—how dare he.” Her hands tightened into fists at her sides, and he didn’t doubt she imagined blasting her coarse would-be suitor off a fourth-story balcony or into the harbor in winter.

“Well, I did worse for him than he did for me,” Felix said, and this time he couldn’t help the smirk curling his lips.

(It didn’t hurt this time thanks to her healing either.)

“My hero,” Annette said in a tone far too sarcastic for his liking, yet it didn’t fail to make his ears warm.

They fell silent, and Felix knew he ought to leave since she healed him - though he _needed_ to stay to ascertain the bastard wouldn’t show his face here, propriety be damned - but he couldn’t muster the words to make an excuse.

Luckily a burbling noise drifted from the kitchen. Felix stood and asked, “Is that—”

“The tea!” Annette exclaimed before spinning around and running into the kitchen.

He followed her, in search of something to do and…because he didn’t visit her just to sit on an armchair. He entered behind her in time to find her taking the kettle off the fire and dropping it on the counter, waving her hand and wincing because she neglected to pick up a potholder.

“Did you just burn yourself?” he asked.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Annette reassured him with a wave of her hand.

Felix caught it in his and turned it over to inspect for any damage to her palm. It fit snugly in his, her flesh too warm after holding something hot, and he wondered what it might be like if he just…slotted their fingers together.

His ears warmed hotter than her burned hand at the thought.

“Um, Felix?” Annette prompted when he held on for too long (but not long enough). “I still need to drop the tea in the water.”

He let go and, for lack of anything else to hold, rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, an unfit replacement.

Annette flashed him a smile, and he wasn’t sure if he imagined a hint of color in her cheeks or if it was just the low light of the fire in the hearth playing tricks on him. But she busied herself pouring the hot water into a pot and spooning in and mixing the blend of black tea and spices.

“Felix, can you fetch two mugs from the high shelf?” Annette asked him, pointing to one that…she could very well reach if she used a stool.

“Uh, all right,” he said, glad to oblige anyway. He retrieved two ceramic mugs painted in cheerful colors and set them on a tea tray. “You should at least pour cold water on your hand.”

“It’s _fine_ ,” she insisted, rolling her eyes. She assembled a little pitcher of cream with a bowl of sugar and a spoon - doubtless for her - and a plate of biscuits that smelled of cinnamon on the tray. “I’ve hurt myself worse, this is nothing.”

Felix leveled her with a sharp stare. She met his eyes without flinching and practically sang, “At least I’ve never gotten a black eye!”

“I won’t be having one this time either thanks to you,” he mumbled.

Annette grinned then said, “Well, if you’re so concerned for my health, you take the tray to the table.” She practically shoved the tray into his arms, and he fumbled for the handles when she let go, its contents rattling on it.

“A-a little more warning next time!” he said.

“Oh, sorry,” Annette said without sounding very sorry at all, “but as long as there is a next time…” Her gaze flickered away from him, and for some reason that coupled with her slightest of smiles made something warm unfurl in his chest.

“You can put it down, you know,” she told him after a beat.

“R-right,” he stuttered, turning his face so she wouldn’t see him wincing at it. He set the tray down on the kitchen table right in time for Annette to bring the pot and pour tea into both mugs. The scent of the spices greeted him, and before he could think better of it he wondered, “Why do you keep this kind of tea anyway? I thought it would be too strong for you.”

“It…is,” Annette admitted. “Why else do you think I’m adding three spoons of sugar to it?”

He blinked as he watched her do just that and couldn’t help his lip curling. “Forget I asked.”

She laughed, but it quieted quickly before she said, “I’m surprised you’ve stayed this long tonight, Felix.”

“Why?” For lack of anything better to do with his hands, he reached for the mug free of sugar to set in front of him.

“Because even when you visit me at home you don’t stay for long enough for me to make tea or for us to, I don’t know, play cards or something!”

Felix inhaled the steam rising from his mug before deciding it wasn’t worth burning his tongue on. “You want to play cards with me?” he said, incredulous. “I only know…children’s games.” Because by the time he was old enough for anyone to bother teaching him something more complex, he no longer cared to learn them.

“Well, that’s just an example, though I could always teach you a few too.” Annette clasped her hands together, her fingers interlaced and fidgeting to the point Felix wanted to take them to still the motion, to distract her from whatever tumult occupied her thoughts. But he didn’t, instead keeping one of his hands on his mug and clasping the other behind his back. “It’s just that…it’s nice! I’m glad you stayed longer tonight, even if I still can’t figure out why since you did try to convince me to not bother healing you.”

He tore his gaze away from her and hoped she couldn’t see the color undoubtedly tinting his face. “I just, um…wanted to make sure you were all right,” he confessed in a low voice.

“I’m perfectly fine,” Annette reassured him. “Really, my hand doesn’t even hurt anymore, so—”

She cut herself off, her breath hitching, when Felix found the courage from deep within himself to take her hand and tug her towards him. His heart thumped against his ribs, and he swallowed whatever fresh anger threatened to rise up within him as he said, “It wasn’t that.”

“Then…what?” Her brow furrowed in obvious confusion.

Felix rubbed his face - free of fresh bruises, thanks to her - and sighed. “The bastard who…said _that_ about you”—he scowled, his frustration returning in full force—”suggested that he might pay you a visit himself.”

“O-oh,” Annette said. She frowned, looking almost thoughtful, then said, “Does he even know where I live?”

“Maybe not,” he conceded, “but I wasn’t going to leave it up to him to find out, so I came here to make sure he hadn’t.” He couldn’t look at her then, suddenly worried he would find reproach or disappointment or…any emotion he couldn’t bear for her to direct at him.

Her irritation he long learned how to weather, and how to tell if she meant her insults or scolding or not, but—

Her other hand - the one not held tight in his - cupped his jaw. His breath caught, but without glancing down he asked, “Did you miss a bruise earlier?”

“N-no,” she said, her voice wavering. “I just…um, you do know if anyone ever, well, tries their luck with me when I’m not interested I can just…blow them off a balcony, right?”

An unwitting smile quirked his lips. “Yes, you’re a force of nature,” he said, but his smile faded. He ought to lean away from her touch, let go of her hand, but he finally forced himself to meet her shining blue eyes. “Do you want me to apologize for visiting just to see for myself that you’re all right?”

“Not at all,” Annette said, “but maybe I want you to visit and stay for other reasons.”

Felix blinked at her. “Like what? You know I don’t really…socialize.” That and he never wanted to overstay his welcome with her, not when he was sure he only wasted her time whether she smiled to see him or flushed when he dared to tease her or—

Annette leaned up and, before he could so much as react to how close her face drifted, kissed him.

He froze, startled and staring past her, until she pulled away. Her face flushed a brilliant, almost glowing pink, and she hurriedly lowered her gaze and said, “O-oh no, maybe that wasn’t a good—”

He slipped an arm around her waist to drag her back, grasping her chin and tilting her face up to kiss her.

He heard her breath hitch the heartbeat before she pressed back and her arms settled on his shoulders. He angled his face in an effort to get closer, driven by instinct and by years of longing and holding back.

Annette tasted of his favorite tea and the sugar she used to sweeten her share. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she leaned further in, half-climbing the table behind her for extra height. His heart raced in his chest so loudly he wondered if she would hear it from this close.

She drifted away first again, gasping for breath even before his eyes fluttered open to meet hers. Her cheeks were as red as his must be, but when Annette beamed at him, her fingers light against his cheek, any trace of embarrassment dulled in comparison to the flame flickering in his chest.

Felix didn’t know what to say or how to speak into the world the emotions that swirled inside him and that drove him to lash out so violently against someone even _suggesting_ they might harm Annette, so for now, he didn’t.

He held her face in both hands and pressed his lips against hers again, swallowing her muffled sighs and a mumbled _finally_. A shiver crawled down his spine when she buried her fingers in his hair, a gentle tug warning him she snatched the tie from it a heartbeat before the loose strands brushed his ears. Her touch and her scent stoked the heat in him, and he leaned in closer, driving her backwards.

Annette bumped into the table with enough force the teapot, perched too close to the edge, fell and shattered against the floor.

They jumped apart, Annette half-sitting on the table and Felix nearly tripping over a nearby chair in his haste, his heart jumping into his throat and his hand on the hilt of his sword until he realized it was _just_ the teapot and nothing else.

She straightened and buried her face in her hands with a sigh. “That was my favorite teapot,” she grumbled. She jerked her head up and threw a potholder at him. “That was your fault!”

“Sorry,” he said, though he couldn’t help the grin tugging at his still-tingling lips. The urge to flee that usually gripped him when he and Annette drifted a little closer to what they tiptoed around fell away.

“Villain,” Annette muttered as she turned her back to reach for a rag she promptly tossed at him. “You’re helping me clean this up.”

“Gladly,” he said. “I think I may even…visit you more often.” His ears burned under his loose hair as he crouched to pick at the sharp, tea-stained shards of ceramic. “If you, um, since you want me to…”

“I’ll have to think about it a little more,” she said. She knelt on the floor beside him to help with the mess. “I don’t know if I want someone as evil and wonderful as you coming around so much.”

“To drink tea and play cards?” he confirmed. “Or even to, um…court? Or would you rather…blast me off a balcony?”

Annette inhaled so sharply his gaze drifted to her hands, half-fearing she cut herself on a ceramic shard. His heart raced anew while he waited for some reply, and before he could regret allowing the words to slip out she muttered, “About time.”

Though she still didn’t look at his face, Felix didn’t miss the smile curving her kiss-swollen lips.

**Author's Note:**

> While you're online if you can spare the $$, donate to [BLM or a mutual aid fund or bail fund](https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/)! 
> 
> In any case, hope you enjoyed this little fic, comments are appreciated, do or don't [find me with the birds](https://twitter.com/gazelle_gazette), and stay safe <3


End file.
